Celebrating (Even More!) Amazing Animal Dads

Published June 11, 2014

In celebration of Father's Day on June 18, we're highlighting some of the animal kingdom's most attentive and amazing animal dads!

Midwife Toad

What this amphibious species lacks in vibrant look and behavior it makes up for in paternal care.

Once fertilized, the male midwife toad wraps strands of eggs around his legs to protect them from predators.

Then, once they are ready to hatch, the male toad will wade into a wet, shallow area to allow the tadpoles to spring from their eggs.

Midwife toads can be found throughout western Europe and northern Africa.

Siamese Fighting Fish

Sure they're best known for their looks and popularity at the pet store, but did you know Siamese fighting fish are some of the most dedicated dads around?

Males must work hard to impress a mate, fighting amongst themselves and showing off their ornate plumage to attract a female. Their work is not done once they find a partner; male Siamese fighting fish must also build a nest made of floating bubbles, coating each individual bubble in saliva to avoid any popping.

The male continues his fathering duties by immediately swallowing the freshly-born eggs and spitting them into his nest. He ensures the survival of almost all eggs, spending the 24 to 36 hour incubation period catching any falling eggs and returning them to the nest. The father wards off any potential predators - even the mother! After the eggs hatch, the fish guard the newborns while grow strong off of their egg sack.

Jacana

Male jacanas are known for their intense display of paternal pride.

Female jacanas are rather flighty, mating with as many males as possible and mostly ignoring their eggs. The males complete all of the preparation and care for their children, including: building nests, incubating eggs and protecting newborns!

Jacana males are such good fathers they'll even nurture other males' fertilized eggs!

Seahorse

The vast majority of the members of this family share an unusual reproductive strategy. The males have a specialized pouch into which the female deposits her eggs. It's the fathers who brood the eggs. That’s right: Males brood and bear the young.

May and June mark the peak breeding season for the Chesapeake's two species of pipefish: the Northern and the dusky pipefish. The males brood their eggs for two weeks before giving birth to fully formed baby pipefish.

How are you celebrating Father's Day? Tell us in the comments section!